Now in his late forties,
Jan van der Roost has a substantial
body of works to his credit, including
two oratorios, a symphony, several concertos
and orchestral works as well as many
works for wind and brass bands for which
he may be better known. Indeed, a number
of them have been recorded (available
on some De Haske discs [DHR 03037-3
and DHR 10.003-3] available in the UK
through Salvationist Publishing and
Supplies Ltd.). Van der Roost, who was
also trained as a trombone player, has
a real flair for the wind band, as is
clearly evident in the earliest work
recorded here, the Rhapsody
for horn and wind band completed in
1995. This single movement piece falls
into several linked sections played
without a break. It opens with an arresting
call to arms, a mighty upward glissando
quickly leading into a lively, whimsical
Allegro Burlesco followed by
a central slow section of some substance
exploiting the whole expressive range
of the horn. This beautifully scored
section often reminded me of Holst (particularly
the Prelude from Hammersmith Op.52)
with its slow moving ostinato
in the bass register punctuated by mysterious
glissandi. The music gathers
some considerable momentum and moves
towards an imposing climax redolent
of Respighi in his Roman mood. A varied
restatement of the Allegro Burlesco
rushes the music to its dazzling conclusion.

The guitar concerto
Concierto de homenaje,
completed in 1996, is dedicated to Joaquín
Rodrigo. One of the most remarkable
features of this work is that it is
conspicuously free from any Hispanism,
and is entirely personal, never attempting
at imitating Rodrigoís music. Its three
movements display an inexhaustible wealth
of invention as well as expertly idiomatic
writing for guitar. The first movement
El Destino is based on two contrasting
themes constantly varied and developed.
The slow movement La Melancolía
bears a passing semblance to the slow
movement of Rodrigoís celebrated Concierto
de Aranjuez, in that its main
theme is played by the Cor anglais;
but this is as far as the comparison
goes, for the music is entirely van
der Roostís own. This marvellous piece
of music is one of the finest things
by this composer that I have heard so
far. In the third movement La Fiesta,
the composer pulls out all the stops.
The solo part, inventive as ever, uses
a number of playing techniques, such
Bartok snap pizzicato, tamburo,
glissando and flageolet, to great effect,
but never gratuitously so. This lively
Rondo recalls earlier themes in its
calmer sections, but the overall mood
is one of joyous exultation. Concierto
de homenaje is, I firmly believe,
a most welcome addition to the repertoire,
and guitarists should consider it seriously;
for here is a highly rewarding piece
of music calling for impeccable technique
as well as musicality.

The Concerto
per Tromba for trumpet, strings
and harpsichord is another telling example
of van der Roostís versatility. The
composer, again, pays homage to some
earlier trumpet concertos (Vivaldi,
Haydn and Hummel) while remaining his
own man throughout. True, there are
some brief and oblique allusions to
Vivaldi and Haydn; but these are cleverly
and expertly woven into the composerís
own sound world, so that they never
intrude either as pastiche or parody.
This is particularly clear in the outer
movements. On the other hand, the slow
movement Elegy, written in memory
of the present soloistís mother who
died from a severe and painful illness,
is a deeply moving piece of music for
all its simplicity. Interestingly and
significantly enough, in this movement,
the soloist is requested to play his
part either on Flügelhorn or cornet,
both instruments with a soft and mellow
sound. The third movement is another
brilliant Rondo, briefly calling in
the piccolo trumpet, in fact the sort
of stuff that Maurice André would
have relished and that Ole edvard Antonsen
obviously relishes too. A splendid work
that should appeal to all those who
love Jolivetís trumpet concertos or
Ohanaís delightful Concertino.

The three works recorded
here certainly give a fair idea of van
der Roostís music making as well of
his instrumental expertise. Clearly
indebted to the 20th Century
mainstream, it is not afraid to rely
on modern techniques, when they suit
the composerís expressive concerns.
This is beautifully crafted and communicative
music. It is well served here by excellent
performances and recording. If you already
know some of van der Roostís works for
band and are willing to hear more of
his music, then, this attractive and
enjoyable release is for you. If you
do not know any of his music, then,
this is the best possible introduction
to his music. Well worth investigating.

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